Joseph moetz



(No Model.)

J. MORTZ.

FOLDING CARRIAGE TOP.

No.. 381,944. Patented May 1. 1888.

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N. PETERS, Photo-Lilhngrqphcr, Washinglnn. D.c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH MORTZ, OF COREY, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB OF ONE-HALF TO FRANK S. BARNEY, OF SAME PLACE.

FOLDING CARRIAGE-TOP.

- SPECIFICATION forming part er Letters Patent No. 381,944, dated May 1, 1888.

Application filed December 14, 1887. Seria No. 257,919. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may conceive).- 7

Be it known that I, JosEPH MORTZ', a'citizen of the United States, residing at Corry, in the county of Erie and State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Carriage-Tops; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, forming part of this specification.

My invention consists in the improvements in folding carriage-tops hereinafter set forth and explained, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of my improved folding carriage-top. Fig. 2 is an enlarged View of a section of the same.

Like letters refer to like parts in all the figures.

In the construction of my improved carriage-top shown I make the central bow, A, in, a continuous piece and secure the lower ends thereof to the vehicle-seat in the usual manner. on the upright portions A of the bow A, a short distance below the curves B B thereof, I secure thereto clips 0, having ears 0 c on each side thereof, into which braces D D are secured by means of pintles. Below the clips 0, I place sleeves E, adapted to slide up and down on the upright portions A of the bow A. On the upper ends of these sleeves E,

I make ears e, into which the ends of the front and back bows, F F, are secured by means of pintles, the bows F F extending horizontally therefrom to the points G. The lower ends of the braces D are secured thereto by means of pintles 9. At the points G the bows F F curve upward to the points H, where they are bent inward, so as to form the horizontal portion H thereof, to which the ends of the cover are secured. On the outer sides of the sleeves E, I hinge the upper ends of the angle-braces I. These braces I are hinged at their lower ends, 1, tea stud pin at the back of the vehicle-seat K. 7 Near the center of this brace I,

I make a hinge, J, adapted to break back, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. From the uhinges J the braces I extend to points L on the outside of the upright parts A of the bow A, at which point angles L are formed in the braces L, so that the parts N thereof are parallel with the parts A of the bow A when the top is up. At the angles L in the braces I, I secure angle-braces O by means: of pintles Z, these braces 0 having at their lower ends longitudinal slots P and at the upper ends of the slots P,,on the front sides thereof, transverse slots Q, these slots P and Q connecting with each other, so that the stud-pins Bin the outside of the upright portions A of the bows A will pass freely from one end of the slot to the other. On the inside of the upright portions A of the bow A, I secure hooks S, adapted to engage with stud-pins T on the inner side of the sleeves E, as and for the purpose hereinafter set forth.

In operation, for lowering the top and fold gether, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, the

-bow A meanwhile being drawn entirely down on the back of the vehicle-seat K. WVhen it is desired to lower the top without folding it together, the hooks S are secured upon the stud-pins T. The lower ends of the braces O are then moved forward until the stud-pins R are out of the transverse slots Q. The braces I are then broken back, and the stud-pin R, sliding in the slot P in the brace 0, allows the top to be lowered back without folding the bows F and F together against the bow A.

Having thus fully described my invention so as to enable others to construct and operate the same, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States,

1. The combination, in a carriage-top, of a central bowhinged to a vehicle, having side bows secured thereto by means of sliding sleeves and braces, and braces hinged to the back of the vehicle-seat and to said sliding sleeves, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, in a carriage-top, of a central bow hinged to the front of the seat, with front and back horizontal bows hinged to sleeves adapted to slide up and down on said central bow, and braces hinged to the central and front and back bows above said sliding sleeves, with hinged angle-braces extending from said sliding sleeves to stud-pins at the back of the vehicle seat, and braces hinged to said angle-braces and to stud-pins in the central bow, A, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, in a earriage-top,of the upright central bow, A, hinged to the seat K, with the horizontal bows F and F hinged to the sliding sleeves E, and the braces D D and braces I and O, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a carriagetop, the combination of the upright bow A with bows F F, having curves G and H therein, so as to conform to the contour of the top, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination, in a earriagetop, ofthe upright bow A, the bows F F, hinged to the sleeves E, and the braces D, the braces I, and the slotted brace 0 with the hooks S and stud-pins T on the sleeves E, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. The combination, ina carriage-top, of the braces I with the braces O for folding together and lowering a carriage-top, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH MORTZ.

Witnesses:

A. F. BOLE, G. P. ROGERS, Jr. 

